hot rod

noun

: an automobile rebuilt or modified for high speed and fast acceleration

Examples of hot rod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What started back in the 1980s as a small gathering of gearheads has grown into a premier West Coast car show, drawing pristine hot rods, retro cruisers, and muscle machines from across the country—and even as far as Australia. Cliff Lewis, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2025 Apparently, the guy killed famous promoter and hot rod racer Mickey Thompson and his wife in California in 1988. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025 Even though North American buyers got a little less power, the M5 adjusted the thinking of those who looked askance at sedans, proving that a real hot rod might easily be lurking beneath the Clark Kent exterior. Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025 More:Bruce Springsteen movie starring Jeremy Allen White returns to Stone Pony with hot rods Need a break? Chris Jordan, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hot rod

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot rod was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Hot rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20rod. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hot rod

noun
: an automobile rebuilt or changed for high speed and fast acceleration

More from Merriam-Webster on hot rod

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